1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an outlet box for electrical outlets. The outlet box is mounted on concrete block walls between furring strips for mounting thereon drywall or sheetrock. The box, at its lateral openings, receives non-metallic jacketed cable.
2. Description of the Related Art
Plastic outlet boxes which are currently available in commerce are a minimum of 2" to 31/2 (5.1-8.9 cm) deep. The furring strips, which define the distance between the concrete wall and the drywall finish, generally have a thickness of only 3/4 (1.9 cm). Accordingly, it is necessary to chisel recesses or holes from the concrete block, so as to allow proper placement of the outlet box. The object is to align the outer flange of the outlet box with the outer surface of the drywall finish and to extend only those parts of the box out beyond the furring strips which will extend through the drywall. After the box has been properly mounted the concrete wall is patched around the box to fill void in the concrete block.
Additionally, depending on the location of placement of the outlet box, it is necessary to provide a box for a single outlet, for two outlets (double socket or light switch and socket), or for more. It has therefore been necessary for the electrical contractor to carry a wide variety of differently sized, normed outlet boxes for single or for multi-outlet application.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,854 to Hoover discloses a plastic box formed essentially of two components, namely a housing body and a side wall member. Two of the housing bodies may be combined to form a double outlet. If a single outlet is desired, the side of the housing body may be closed off with the side wall member. The outlet box taught by Hoover is a box for attachment to a stud, which is much deeper than furring strips. Hoover's box is gangable only up to a dual outlet box and, if utilized in the context of furred walls, it is so deep as to require the above-described chipping of a void in the concrete block.
A gangable outlet box housing is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,492 to Jorgensen. The box is also formed of two components, namely a central housing body and a side wall member. The central housing body may be ganged multiple times by matching male members of the one unit with female members of the other unit. Jorgensen's box is also a box body for use with stud walls and, in the context of furred walls, therefore, it is necessary to chip into the concrete block, to place the box and to plaster back the voids.